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Introducing KY SEAT: Ensuring Parent Voice has a SEAT at the Table

Beginning in June, as one of the Kentucky Thriving Families, Safer Children goals, the Department for Community Based Services (DCBS) partnered with Kentucky Youth Advocates to launch a Birth Parent Advisory Council. This council includes a diverse group of parents from across the Commonwealth who gather around Kentucky’s child welfare system.  Unlike typical decision makers for policies and services that affect families, this group has something extra to contribute — personal lived expertise as a [...]

By |2023-06-13T10:12:23-04:00November 21st, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Race Equity|
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Kids Can’t Wait: Federal Nutrition Needs

As families across Kentucky are preparing for Thanksgiving dinner, schools are preparing for how they are going to feed kids next summer and school year. With 1 in 6 Kentucky kids experiencing hunger, the in-school and summer meals schools serve are more important than ever. However, without Congress taking quick action to extend federal COVID-19 era programs and waivers, many schools will not be able to continue operating these programs and many Kentucky families will [...]

By |2022-11-21T15:47:40-05:00November 21st, 2022|Blog, Economic Security, Education, Health|
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A Look at the New Prison-to-Work Pipeline Initiative

Kentucky’s workforce has seen a decrease in workforce participation and many have collaborated on efforts seeking solutions to eliminate barriers that often prohibit people from finding a sustainable job. At a recent press conference, Governor Beshear announced efforts to boost workforce participation. Ashli Watts with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce spoke to how our workforce is currently at 58%, still below pre-pandemic levels. Currently, there are more than 160,000 open jobs throughout the commonwealth and [...]

By |2022-11-17T17:30:51-05:00November 17th, 2022|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Child Welfare & Safety, Justice, Race Equity|
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Youth Voices in the 2022 KIDS COUNT County Data Book Release

Each year, the Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book allows readers and leaders to investigate areas in which Kentucky and its counties are making progress and areas needing focused attention for improvement. The publication highlights data in four domains of child well-being in Kentucky: economic security, education, health, and family and community. As we look ahead to the 2023 Kentucky General Assembly and Governor’s race, Kentucky Youth Advocates invited young people from across the Commonwealth to [...]

By |2023-01-24T15:07:15-05:00November 17th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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2022 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Data Trends and Kentucky Kids’ Ideas for a Brighter Future in the Commonwealth

2022 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book: A Look at Data Trends and Kentucky Kids’ Ideas for a Brighter Future in the Commonwealth Featuring the latest county-level data for key measures of child well-being Louisville, KY – For optimal well-being, children need thriving communities that support strong families, good health, protection from harm, economic security, and a high-quality education. The 2022 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book features the latest data on 16 measures of [...]

By |2022-11-15T20:29:52-05:00November 16th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Kids Count, News Room, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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Updates on CCAP to Benefit Families, Child Care Providers, and Local Economies

The regulations for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) have been updated multiple times in the past two years in order to better support Kentucky’s working families and Kentucky’s child care providers. These updates have been possible due to one-time COVID-19 federal relief funds.   Several new programs have been implemented in the past couple of months that benefit working families and child care providers. Here’s an overview of the programs and how they are [...]

By |2022-11-09T14:02:05-05:00November 9th, 2022|Blog, Bloom Kentucky, Economic Security|
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Mark Your Calendar, Advocates!

The 2023 Kentucky General Assembly is right around the corner, and we have a lot in store over the next few months as we get ready to advocate for Kentucky kids! Check out these upcoming opportunities to get involved: November 16th 2022 Kentucky KIDS COUNT County Data Book Check out the latest county-level data at kyyouth.org/kentucky-kids-count/ View the launch event, featuring remarks from Lt. Governor Coleman and youth from across Kentucky December 7th A lookahead [...]

By |2022-12-06T11:23:01-05:00November 7th, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Kids Count, Race Equity, Youth Justice|
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A Look at Disparities in Maternal Mortality Rates

On October 27th, the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity convened to discuss data and disparities among Kentuckians, including a conversation on maternal health. Dr. Edward Miller, the Chief Diversity Officer at U of L Health and a maternal fetal medicine doctor, presented on the state of maternal mortality and pregnancy-related deaths in Kentucky. Dr. Miller highlighted data showing the rates of maternal mortality and pregnancy-related death in Kentucky, which are disproportionately higher among [...]

By |2022-11-07T15:13:54-05:00November 7th, 2022|Blog, Health, Race Equity|
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Making Kids Count in the Louisville Mayoral Race

Kentucky Youth Advocates is committed to making the needs of children front and center each and every election season. While kids cannot vote, each of us can ensure that their voices are heard by engaging with candidates in local, state, and federal elections. Across the Commonwealth this November, Kentuckians will cast their ballot in the races for the full Kentucky House of Representatives and half of the Kentucky Senate, mayoral and other local government [...]

By |2022-11-03T16:52:31-04:00November 3rd, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Justice, Youth Justice|
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An Update from Journey to Success Kentucky

In 2020, 688 youth transitioned out of the Kentucky foster care system. We know that youth who have spent time in foster care face a particularly steep climb on the road to adulthood due to adverse experiences during their early years. Despite important federal reforms in child welfare, many young people continue to face significant barriers to opportunities to succeed in school, work, and community life.  Journey to Success is a federal policy advocacy campaign [...]

By |2022-11-02T17:24:03-04:00November 2nd, 2022|Blog, Child Welfare & Safety, Economic Security, Education, Health, Race Equity|
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